Is There Really a Zero-Carb Noodle?

On her list of 11 Break Up Must Haves, the now single Millionaire Matchmaker, Patti Stanger, ranked comfort food as number seven. But when some might go for a bag of Doritos or a tub (or two) of ice cream, Stanger chooses "Miracle Noodles" as her go-to for a big bowl of edible solace.

"They have lots of fiber, and there are no carbs in it," she told MSN Glo. "I add a little truffle oil, a little cottage cheese and a little salt, and I'm good to go. It's kind of my mac 'n' cheese, without being fattening."

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Sounds kinda good, but it had us scratching our noodles. Is there really such a thing as no-carb pasta? Well, almost. The Miracle Noodles that Stanger references are one brand in a burgeoning market of shirataki noodles, a pasta alternative, made of tofu and a yam-like root vegetable called konnyaku. Although they're wet and a little slimy with an odd aroma, the noodles, long popular in Japan, have seen a spike in sales in the U.S. thanks in large part to the endorsement of the blogger and food personality Hungry Girl. Hundreds of online recipe collections have popped up substituting shirataki for wheat pasta in dishes like Fettuccine Alfredo and Pad Thai. One 4-ounce serving of the slippery noodles made by the House Foods brand (the one Hungry Girl swears by) contains only 20 calories, 1/2 a gram of fat, and 3 grams of carbohydrates.

Stanger's Miracle Noodles, are pretty miraculous too, with less than 1 gram of carbs per 3-ounce serving. And while many shirataki addicts admit that they usually consume an entire 7- or 8-ounce bag in one meal, it's still a low- (if not completely zero) carb pasta alternative.

But the tofu strands aren't the only noodle stand-in. Here's a look at a few other options:

Kelp Noodles: Made from sea vegetables, these tangly noodles have a particularly toothsome bite, making them a great choice for "pasta" salads. And they pack a mere 6 calories and 1 gram of carbohydrates per 4-ounce serving.

Soba Noodles: While they're not as low-cal and low-carb as some of the other alternatives, soba noodles, made from buckwheat, have about half the calories and carbohydrates as typical white flour pasta. Their texture is similar to standard spaghetti, but with a slightly nuttier taste thanks to the buckwheat. Try them in cold salads or noodle soups.

Quinoa Pasta: These gluten-free noodles are made from the low-carb, high protein ancient grain and come in a variety of standard pasta shapes, from linguine to elbow macaroni. They substitute well in most pasta recipes.

Veggies: An assortment of veggies can be used as low-carb alternatives in your favorite pasta dishes. Try subbing spaghetti squash in your go-to spaghetti and meatballs; create thin ribbons of zucchini for a cold pasta salad; or use slices of eggplant in place of noodles in your traditional lasagna.